The Music City Stakes – Grade III (P1)
6 1/2 Furlongs Turf Stake Purse $750.000 Filly 3 Year Olds.

1st= In Dreams TwinTowersRacing Bridgmohan S X

Well, when this stable has a runner that doesn’t seem to have much chance of winning it is normally when they have their best chance of doing exactly that. After just three races on turf and all of them defeats it made perfect sense that this one would win on its fourth attempt in a $750.000 race especially when you consider her previous two wins had come over the mile on the dirt. I really can’t begin to weigh up this win even though it was a shared one, other than to say that she gave us a clue with her effort in the BEL Oaks that she had the pace for sprinting when she was still close up at this trip. It may be tentative but really is the only thing I can find to explain this other than some very good dirt works, and some pretty good turf works leading into this. Congratulations to this under rated trainer who once again went in with a punchers chance and knocked them out.

1st= Stellar Strength Mb Stables Talamo J

Well, this one did exactly as I expected managing to use the wide gate to help her clear the other front runners in the field and just lasting to the line to share the win. This is only her fifth start and her first in a sprint so there is clearly a bright future ahead of her.

3rd Lucky Star Maxmillion Farm Davila J R Jr

Kept closing right to the line with another big effort and I feel the trainer may be tempted to pursue the turf after another big run on the surface. The grade one Spinaway winner last year she really does seem to be one of those that fits into this ‘long sprint’ category, and I would expect her to have more success at this level before the year runs out.

4th Niagra Keys Alydar Stables Loveberry J

The wide gate can mean lead or go back and whilst Stellar Strength got to go forward into the premier position the third and fourth fillies both went back, and we all know just how hard it is to recover from that handicap. She was flying at the end, running quicker than anything else but that tends to be her thing and it is a very difficult to do on this race engine.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES